Rules to Change direct speech to indirect speech
Affirmative Sentences
Rules:Helping verbs of present perfect continuous tense are changed into the past perfect continuous tense have/has been changed to had been Verb ing form
Subject+that+helping had been + object
Negative sentences
To form the negative sentences all the structure of sentences remain same just add the “not” between the helping verb
Subject+that+helping verb (had not been )+ object
Interrogative sentences
Rules:Asked is use instead of “said”
For questions like Yes/No “if” or “whether” is used
For questions like wh (“what when where”) same word used in indirect speech
Exclamatory sentences
Exclamatory words like Hurrah,alas, wow are replaced with “exclaimed with joy/sorrow/surprise etc
Direct and Indirect speech Present Perfect continuous tense exercise
Exercise 1: Change the following direct speech sentences to indirect speech.
1 She said, “I have been studying all morning.”
2 John said, “I have been waiting for you for hours.”
3 He said, “We have been playing football since noon.”
4 They said, “We have been living in this city for five years.”
5 My friend said, “I have been feeling tired lately.”
Solution with explanation
1 She said that she had been studying all morning.
Explanation: “Have been studying” changes to “had been studying” while changing to indirect speech.
2 John said that he had been waiting for me for hours.
Explanation: “Have been waiting” changes to “had been waiting” while changing to indirect speech.
3 He said that they had been playing football since noon.
Explanation: “Have been playing” changes to “had been playing” while changing direct speech to indirect speech.
4 They said that they had been living in this city for five years.
Explanation: “Have been living” changes to “had been living” while changing to indirect speech.
5 My friend said that she had been feeling tired lately.
Explanation: “Have been feeling” changes to “had been feeling” while converting direct speech to indirect speech.
Direct and indirect speech present perfect continuous tense worksheet
Exercise 2: Change the following indirect speech sentences to direct speech.
1 He said that he had been working all night.
2 She told me that she had been watching the movie for an hour.
3 Jamal mentioned that he had been reading for two hours.
4 They told us that they had been walking for three hours.
5 My friend said that she had been cooking all afternoon.
Solutions with explanations
1 He said, “I have been working all night.
“Explanation: “Had been working” converted to “have been working” in direct speech.
2 She told me, “I have been watching the movie for an hour.
“Explanation: “Had been watching” changes to “have been watching” in direct speech.
3 Jamal mentioned, “I have been reading for two hours.
“Explanation: “Had been reading” changes to “have been reading” in direct speech.
4 They told us, “We have been walking for three hours.
“Explanation: “Had been walking” changes to “have been walking” in direct speech.
5 My friend said, “I have been cooking all afternoon.
“Explanation: “Had been cooking” changes to “have been cooking” in direct speech.